Welcome to Eco Travel Logue, your one-stop Ecotourism Travel Guide. Ecotourism is not just about choosing the greener option; it’s about discovering new ways of travelling and making a difference. So whether you’re looking for info on ideas and destinations, eco-friendly accommodation, from budget to luxury, or want the low-down on the latest ecotourism news and views, you should find it here on Eco Travel Logue. And if there’s anything you wanted to know about Ecotourism but were too afraid to ask, email me here. Happy travels!
Eight new natural sites were added to the UNESCO World Heritage List yesterday, 8 July 2008. David Sheppard, head of the Protected Areas Programme with the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), said, “These eight stunning natural sites are amongst the best of what nature has to offer.”
The IUCN is the world’s oldest environmental organisation. It carries out technical evaluations of the natural values of the sites nominated for inscription on the World Heritage List. “Each site has been carefully inspected by IUCN and thoroughly deserves a place on the prestigious World Heritage List,” said Sheppard.
The eight new UNESCO World Heritage sites are:
Around a billion monarch butterflies cluster together to spend the winter in the fir forests of this biosphere reserve in Central Mexico, some of them making a journey of up to 4,500 kms from points in the United States and Canada to get there.
If you’re planning on visiting Europe any time soon, why not get involved in a new mutli-centre study that is to take place in 23 Sea Life Centres across Britain and Europe.
Sea Life is carrying out studies on octopuses to determine whether they favour a particular tentacle for picking things up. Scientists want to test their theory that the intelligent sea molluscs have a preferred arm out of the eight they have to choose from, much like humans favour their left or right hand.
The octopuses will be given food and toys to play with. The tentacle they use to feed and investigate with will be recorded. This is where visitors can get involved; all you need to do is sign a form on entry if you’re willing to participate.
Alongside each tank will be the diagram of an octopus. The arms on the right will be labelled from front to back, R1, R2, R3, R4 and on the left, L1, L2, L3, L4.
When the octopuses are given their toys, such as a ball, a jam jar or Lego bricks, visitors are encouraged to chart which arm was closest to the object and which arm picked the object up. If the octopus uses a number of arms, they too are to be written down but this time in the order that they touched the object.
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Virgin tycoon Richard Branson has announced plans to transform one of the British Virgin Islands (BVI) into the most environmentally-friendly resort on the planet.
He pointed out to a reporter on a tour of Necker Island (one of his own islands in the BVI) recently that there is no reason in the world why the Caribbean should not be a leader in using renewable sources because they have an abundance of sun, wind and waves, everything needed to generate natural power.
“It is actually inexcusable for the Caribbean to need to use dirty fuels anymore when it has all these natural resources on its doorstep,” said Branson.
The island he is looking to for this possible eco-friendly resort is a little wind-beaten, uninhabited island just off the isle of Virgin Gorda, called Mosquito. Branson envisions an eco enclave of up to 20 villas, along with a beachside restaurant, powered exclusively by wind turbines and solar panels. Food will be grown locally, beach buggies powered by biofuels will be available for people to get around and tree planting will be encouraged to offset carbon emissions.
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One of Ecotourism Logue’s favourite green sites of the moment is Go Green Travel Green. The articles are punchy, witty and informative and make people question their travelling habits.
The website recently featured a green travel series starting with 31 Reasons to Travel Green: In Pictures, a disturbing yet motivating post on why it’s good to go green. As the old saying goes, ’sometimes pictures speak louder than words’.
Another great post by the Go Green Travel Green team is Shades of Green Travel. This …
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It’s not always easy finding genuinely green travel options, especially if you’re not familiar with the country you’re planning on visiting, so eco travellers on their way to the UK and Ireland might be interested to know there are a new set of ecoescape green guides available. They’re cram packed with lots of eco-friendly accommodations and activity ideas to help plan your holiday and stay green.
EcotourismLogue spoke to Laura Burgess, founder and editor of the popular ecoescape guides, to find out a little bit more about the company …
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If you haven’t already found the website, Eco-Libris is a wonderful eco lovin’ site dedicated to balancing out the harm we do by reading books.
Now, before you click away, I know that sounds a bit hippy and greenie but as an avid book reader I often have the guilts at my own frivolous indulgence and the number of trees it takes to feed my habit, but – and here comes the excuse, or should I say, reason – where would we be without them?
Books provide an …
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Search for Around the World Airline Tickets via our friends at GoNomad.
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